Childcare

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The University of Wyoming is committed to policies and practices that make it possible for faculty members to have both families and successful academic careers.

Spousal/Domestic Partner Accommodations

Each year UW hires a number of academic couples using the spousal/domestic partner hiring provisions. If you are considering a faculty position at UW, and are concerned about opportunities for your spouse or partner, we hope you will inquire about this policy which is described at this link.

Domestic Partner Health Insurance Benefits

UW provides an allowance to assist in paying for health insurance for qualifying domestic partners and legal dependents who are not eligible for coverage through another employer-paid health insurance plan.

Other Employer Paid Benefits

Employer paid benefits at UW include both defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans, supplemental retirement accounts, and health and dental insurance coverage for the employee, spouse, and children under the age of 26, and disability insurance. UW contributes 85% of the monthly health and dental insurance premiums. The Human Resources department provides more information about employee benefits.

Full-time academic personnel, appointed either on a continuing or temporary basis, are eligible to accrue Sick Leave at a rate of eight (8) hours per paid month of service. Paid Sick Leave may be used for absences from duties due to illness, injury, pregnancy and/or childbirth, death in family or medical care of family.

An employee may also use up to six weeks of accrued or donated Sick Leave for the birth of a child and first year care of a child as well as for an adopted or state-placed foster child's care within the first year of placement.

Sabbaticals and Other Leaves

Sabbatical leaves may be granted to any tenured member of the faculty and may be used for enhancement of teaching,research, writing, or study at a place of the recipient's choosing. Professional development leaves may be granted to academic professionals that have earned extended term contracts. The Academic Affairs philosophy on sabbaticals and other leaves of absence is discussed in the Pythian Paper

Child Care

In 2011, UW conducted a survey of faculty and staff about child care in Laramie. The project envisioneda campus wide web survey of UW students, faculty, and staff to gather information on the early childcare needs of the UW community and the extent to which these needs are being met. As a follow-up to the survey, in 2012, Academic Affairs conducted a child care needs study in Albany County. This was an update of a previous child care needs study conducted in 2009. This information is being used to clarify UW policies and provide additional information related to child care to the UW community.

Tenure- and Extended-Term Clock Extensions

All tenure-track faculty and extended term track academic professionals are eligible for clock extensions. In the case of childbirth or adoption, the clock is extended automatically for the faculty member(s) parent(s), unless the parent requests that it not be stopped. Other factors beyond the employee’s control that significantly detract from the employee’s academic record may also result in a clock extension.